Issue 13  25th November 2017

Data Manipulation at Forensics Lab

More than 10,000 criminal cases may have been affected by alleged manipulation at a forensics lab that analysed evidence of drug driving, violent crime, sexual offences and unexplained deaths, it has been revealed.

Around 50 cases that were due to go to trial have been dropped over the scandal at a Randox Testing Services laboratory in Manchester, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) said. Two road deaths have been referred to the Court of Appeal. They are just a fraction of the alleged cases across 42 police force areas in England and Wales that could be affected by the alleged data manipulation, which dates back to 2013.

Coach-Player Consent: SOA 2003 Proposed Amendment

The Sports Minister has announced that she has a "ministerial agreement" with the Ministry of Justice to amend the Sexual Offences Act (2003).

The amendment would appear to involve adding coach/player relationships to the list of 'positions of trust' found in section 21 of the Act. This currently has the effect of raising the age of consent to 18 for relationships involving those in certain positions: teachers, hospital workers and carers (but currently not sports coaches).

600m Cut From MoJ Budget - 40% Reduction 2010-2020

Hammond’s plans show that the budget for the MoJ for the 2017/18 financial year stands at £6.6bn, but that figure slips to £6.2bn for 2018/19 and then £6bn for 2019/20. The £600m reduction in funding represents a 9% drop.

In a written answer in Parliament, the Justice Minister confirmed that the MoJ budget will have dropped 40% in real terms from 2010 to 2020.

Current projections show the departmental spending limit will be £5.6bn by 2019/20. In real terms, the comparable budget in 2010/11 was £9.3bn and in the current financial year it stands at £6.4bn.

The Royal Society Publishes Guides

The Royal Society, the world's oldest, independent science academy, and the Royal Society of Edinburgh, an educational charity, have collaborated with the judiciary to produce 'primers' on DNA fingerprinting and forensic gait analysis.

The DNA guide is here and the gait analysis guide is here.

Disclosure of Acquittals - Supreme Court Hearing

The Supreme Court has heard an appeal on the issue of whether disclosure of details of a rape acquittal in an Enhanced Criminal Record Certificate (ECRC) violates the presumption of innocence protected by Article 6(2) ECHR.

The appellant had been charged with, then subsequently acquitted at trial, of rape of a 17 year old woman. The police had issued an ECRC in respect of the appellant’s intended employment as a teacher which disclosed details of the rape allegation and acquittal.